Want to be

1987 S4 model

Wiring in the spare tire area, under a black triangle type cover

List of colors

Pink Green Yellow and Black connector
2 Purples White Yellow and Black Orange connector
2 of those weird type connectors for ABS
2 wired connector very worn, has brown and maybe a green connector. this one might of been shorting. Very curious what that is

I was hoping some of the turn signal wiring was located in her but i think they are located on the side walls.

Thanks for help provided.

Want to be

My iphone thinks its a California Newt. pretty sure its not that... lol
didn't know i could post a picture

Want to be

worf928

You are looking at connection points for the transaxle’s harness (white connectors) and the ABS/Pad Warning wheel well harnesses (black/white - with the white fading to tan. When the tan turns to brown the plastic disintegrates.)

worf928

Wheel well harnesses. One at each corner. Carries ABS and brake pad warning. That degradation is “standard” at this point for pre’90. As those leave the spare tire well they have 5 to 7 rubber grommet-like features that snap into retainers on the chassis and wheel hubs. Those rubber bits are long gone or about to be at which point the harnesses will drop onto the half-shafts and get chewed.

For pre’90 the best solution is pricey new harnesses of which there are none in stock right now. However, you can use, directly, the even more-pricey 90+ harnesses that add the RDK circuit (which, for pre-‘90 just means unused plug holes) of which there is still stock as of a month or three ago.

There are cheaper ways to deal with this issue and “repair” the harnesses.

I will let others, that are sure to be along shortly, describe those ways.

Want to be

thank you both. Unless i misunderstood. , what is the black harness used for on the 2nd photo? I was checking the continuity and each wire are definitely shorted out.

worf928

There’s only one of me.

I answered that question in the second post in which I quoted your picture. You can’t check continuity without unplugging both ends. One end is the white/tan “barrel connector” the other end is the same type of connector at the wheel hub. There’s one ‘set’ for each wheel.

Want to be

Ok... then this little guy might be causing my ABS fault. To me the wire looks green. I pulled the two black connectors apart and it was a solid short. I'll probably cut the black connector and use a different connector to fix the short. thanks again.....

worf928

Ah… wait… I thought you were referring to the degraded harness your fingers were on.

The two-pin connector you cropped-in on above is, I think, the connector for the impulse sender on the rear of the transaxle differential case that signals the speedometer. While that is the only thing I can find in the wiring diagrams with a 2-pin connector back there the wire colors don’t match. You can check the wire colors and continuity (perhaps) from the impulse sender.

worf928

I’m assuming that this is an Auto and not a 5-speed. If the latter then the answer is different.

worf928

If it’s a 5-speed then the 2-pin connector is the backup light switch. (And the colors match the wiring diagram.)

Want to be

its a auto .... wish it was a 5 speed

worf928

Well, check the wires colors for the impluse sender. It’s on the differential cover, about the size of a 50-cent piece and the only thing with wires on the cover.

Want to be

Your good. While i haven't got under the car, i did find a photo of a new sender part. I'll try and trace the wire from the sender to the connection in the hatch tomorrow. I wonder what this short will cause on my car? Ive installed a GPS speed last summer but either way i don't want a short. thanks a bunch!